MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Multiple coronavirus cases have been confirmed since public school students in Miami-Dade County began returning to physical classrooms this week, including the first teacher who has tested positive.
Sources told Local 10 News that Wyche Elementary School in Miami Gardens is one of the schools dealing with COVID-19 cases.
Cases have also been reported at Holmes Elementary School in Miami and at Poinciana Park Elementary School in northwest Miami-Dade.
According to the Miami-Dade County Public Schools COVID-19 dashboard, one employee and three students have self-reported that they have tested positive for the virus.
The entire special education department at Poinciana Park is said to have gone on quarantine and a special meeting on the matter was held Friday morning.
The school district confirmed William Lehman Elementary in Kendall had one student who tested positive for the virus and parents were notified about the case on Thursday morning.
“I sat down my son and daughter and I told them what they have to do, and they know what to do and how to take care of themselves,” one mother said.
The student, as well as their teacher and classmates have been asked to quarantine for 14 days and to get tested for the virus.
Signs at the school indicated that the campus was electro-statically disinfected.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said the district initiated the contact tracing investigation immediately upon learning about the positive case.
The teachers union believes there are more cases and report that six schools in total, including charter schools, currently have positive cases.
“Unfortunately, despite loudly voicing our concerns about a premature reopening of schools, we now find ourselves in complete fear and misery after only four days of a partial reopening, both parents and teachers alike,” a statement from United Teachers of Dade President Karla Hernández-Mats read.
Local 10 News learned Downtown Doral Charter was the first school with a coronavirus case since reopening.
Meanwhile, at William Lehman Elementary, some parents remain confident.
“I trust this school with my eyes closed,” one mother said.